JPH0495519A - Air-conditioning device for vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain a desired good feeling for heating even when the temperature of cooling water after starting of an engine is low by sending the air quantity below a minimum quantity of air and warming it sufficiently by a heater unit, and driving a foot blow-off opening for a crew on the assistant driver's seat to be closed, when the crew is not seated on the assistant driver's seat and the temperature of engine- cooling water is low. CONSTITUTION:At least a minimum air quantity blown by a blower-fan 4 is selected by a switch 20, and the velocity of the blower-fan 4 is changed by means 22, 23 based on the selected air quantity. In this device, a foot blow-off opening 31 provided to an assistant driver's seat is opened or closed by a means 33. A means 42 detects that a crew is seated on the assistant driver's seat. A means 43 detects the temperature of engine-cooling water. When it is detected that any crew is not seated on the assistant driver's seat and the temperature of engine-cooling water is below a specified temperature, the velocity of the blower-fan 4 is reduced below the minimum air quantity until the temperature of engine-cooling water reaches a temperature with which the selected minimum air quantity can be sufficiently warmed by means of a heater unit 7, and the foot blow-off opening 31 is driven and controlled by means 40, 41, 44 to be closed.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION A. Field of Industrial Application The present invention relates to a vehicle air conditioner that adjusts air volume and opens and closes air outlets depending on the presence or absence of an occupant.

B. Conventional Technology A vehicle air conditioner as shown in FIG. 5 has been known for some time (see No. 578 of the 8th Generation Bis Bulletin, June 1988).

An inside/outside air switching door 2 is provided at the outside air introduction port 1a and the inside air introduction port 1b, and the flow rate of air introduced into the air conditioning duct 3 is controlled. Further, inside the air conditioning duct 3, a blower fan 4, an evaporator 5, an air mix door 6, and a heater unit 7 are provided, and the amount of air blown and the air temperature are adjusted. A vent outlet 8 and a foot outlet 9 provided in the air conditioning duct 3. Defroster outlet 1o and vent door 11. The amount of air blown out is adjusted by a foot door 12 and a defroster door 13, and the air is guided into the vehicle interior. Note that the foot air outlet 9 is provided in the center between the driver's seat and the passenger seat to blow air to the feet of the driver's seat occupant and the front passenger's seat occupant.

FIG. 6 is a drive circuit diagram of the blower fan 4 of the conventional device shown in FIG.

The drive speed of the fan motor 4a is switched by a fan switch 20 provided in the vehicle interior. In other words, can the maximum air volume be obtained by turning the fan switch 2o? IH
When set to the 71 position, the voltage of the battery 21 is directly applied to the fan motor 4a, and the fan motor 4a is driven at the maximum speed.

On the other hand, at the "M" position where the air volume is intermediate, the resistor 22 becomes a drive circuit connected in series with the fan motor 4a, and the drive current is limited by the resistor 22, so that the speed of the fan motor 4a becomes slow. At the "L" position of the lowest air volume, the resistor 22 and the resistor 23 are connected in series with the fan motor 4a, so the speed of the fan motor 4a becomes even slower.

During heating, the amount of air blown is adjusted as described above by the fan switch 20, and the amount of air passing through the heater unit 7 is further controlled by the air mix door 6, which is linked to a temperature control lever (not shown) provided in the vehicle interior. The temperature of the blowing air is adjusted.

As is well known, the heat exchange efficiency in the heater unit 7 is mainly proportional to the temperature of the engine coolant circulating within the heater unit 7, and inversely proportional to the amount of air passing through the heater unit 7. If there is too much, the heat exchange efficiency will be low. Therefore, normally, immediately after starting the engine in cold weather, the air volume is set to the minimum and the air mix door 6 is fully opened (about 68 degrees in the figure) to perform heating.

C1 Problems to be Solved by the Invention However, in conventional vehicle air conditioners, the minimum air volume of the blower fan is set so that the air passing through the heater unit is heated based on the engine coolant temperature during steady state. Because of this setting, if heating is performed when the coolant temperature is low after the engine has started, the air volume will be large even if the fan switch is set to the lowest air volume, making the occupants feel chilly.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a heavy-vehicle air conditioner that can provide sufficiently warm air when a passenger is absent even when the cooling water temperature is low after starting the engine.

The present invention will be explained in conjunction with FIG. 1, which is a diagram corresponding to claims. A heater unit 7 that warms the air and an air volume selection switch 2 that can select at least the minimum air volume of the blower fan 4.
0, and speed change means 22 and 23 that change the speed of the blower fan 4 based on the air flow rate selected by the air flow selection switch 20.

The passenger seat footwell outlet opening/closing means 33 opens and closes the footwell outlet 31 provided in the passenger seat, the seating detection means 42 detects that the front passenger seat occupant is seated, and the engine cooling water temperature is detected. If the water temperature detection means 43 and the seating detection means 42 do not detect that the passenger is seated in the passenger seat, and the water temperature detection means 43 detects that the engine coolant temperature is below a predetermined temperature, the engine coolant temperature is set to the air volume selection switch. The speed of the blower fan 4 is reduced below the minimum air volume until the water temperature reaches a temperature at which the heater unit 7 can sufficiently warm up the minimum air volume selected by the heater unit 7, and further controls the passenger seat footwell outlet opening/closing means 33 to The above object is achieved by providing control means 40, 41, and 44 for driving the side foot outlet 31 to close.

81 action When the absence of a front passenger seat occupant is detected by the seating detection means 42 and the water temperature detection means 43 determines that the engine cooling water temperature is below a predetermined temperature, the control means 40,
41.44 indicates that the engine cooling water temperature is the air volume selection switch 2.
0, the speed of the blower fan 4 is reduced below the minimum air volume until the water temperature reaches a temperature at which the heater unit 7 can sufficiently warm the air, and further the passenger seat footwell air outlet opening/closing means 33 is controlled to The foot air outlet 31 is driven to close. As a result, a sufficient amount of warm air is blown out from the driver's seat footwell outlet 30 even when the coolant temperature is low after the engine is started.

In addition, in the above-mentioned sections and Section E that describe the present invention in detail, the same reference numerals as the elements of the embodiments corresponding to the reference numerals of each means are used to make the present invention easier to understand. It is not limited to the examples.

F. Embodiment FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG.
FIG. 3 is a drive circuit diagram of a fan motor used in the air conditioner shown in the figure. Note that the same reference numerals are given to devices similar to those shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, which show conventional devices, and the explanation will focus on the differences.

In this embodiment, a driver's seat foot outlet 30 and a passenger's seat foot outlet 31 are provided in place of the foot outlet 9 of the conventional device, and the bath air is regulated by a driver's seat foot door 32 and a passenger's seat foot door 33, respectively. Further, the drive circuit for the fan motor 4a includes a resistor 40 that sets the speed of the fan motor 4a according to an air volume lower than the minimum air volume, and a resistor 40 that is switched between conduction and non-conduction to control the fan motor 4a. A relay 41 that adjusts the current of the airflow and sets the airflow to a lower airflow than the minimum airflow when turned on and the normal minimum airflow when turned off, a seat switch 42 that turns off when the front passenger is seated, and a relay that turns off when the cooling water temperature reaches, for example, 50 degrees Celsius or higher. water temperature switch 43, and passenger seat foot door 3 when turned on.
1 fully open (position 33b) and fully open when off (position 1i 3
3a) An actuator 44 is provided.

The operation of the embodiment configured in this way will be explained.

First, when the engine is started and heated with the cooling water temperature below 50°C and no passenger in the passenger seat, the seat switch 42 and water temperature switch 43 are on, so the relay 41 and actuator 44 are turned on, and the passenger The seat foot door 33 is fully closed, and the resistor 40 becomes conductive. In this state, when the fan switch 20 is set to the lowest air volume '''L 7+ position, the battery 21 → fan motor 4a → resistor 22 → resistor 23 → resistor 40 → relay contact 41a → contact L of switch 20 → ground Current flows through the path, driving the fan motor 4a.At this time, the current flowing through the motor 4a is smaller than the current at 11 o'clock, which is the normal lowest air volume II L, by the amount of the resistor 40 added. The driving speed of motor 4a is also the normal minimum air volume "L"
later than 11 o'clock. As a result, the amount of air passing through the heater unit 7 is reduced, and the heat exchange efficiency is increased by the amount that the amount of air is reduced, and the introduced air is sufficiently warmed. Therefore,
Warm air blows out from the driver's seat foot outlet 30 even when the engine cooling water temperature is low, and the air volume is the normal minimum air volume II L 11 since the passenger seat foot door 33 is fully closed.
The air volume will be approximately the same as the time. In other words, the heating effect for the driver's seat occupant is almost the same as when the cooling water temperature is constant and when the air volume is at its lowest.

Note that when the cooling water temperature rises and exceeds 50° C., the water temperature switch 43 is turned off, so the relay 41 and the actuator 44 are turned off. As a result, the current of the fan motor 4a flows through the relay contact 41b and becomes the current at the lowest air volume. That is, the air volume of the blower fan 4 is the air volume when the minimum air volume is set to "L". At the same time, the actuator 44 is turned off, so that the passenger's foot door 33 is fully opened, and hot air is also blown out from the passenger's foot outlet 31. At this time, the engine cooling water temperature has already risen sufficiently, so even if the amount of air passing through the heater unit 7 increases and the heat conversion efficiency decreases, sufficient warming is performed and hot air is blown.

Next, when heating is performed while there is an occupant in the passenger seat, the seating switch 42 is turned off, so that the relay 41 and actuator 44 are turned off. That is, as described above, the air flow is the air flow at the minimum air flow "Lt+", and the passenger seat foot door 33 is fully opened and the driver's seat and passenger seat foot air outlet 3 are
Warm air is blown from 0.31.

In this way, when there is no passenger in the passenger seat, the air volume is reduced and air is blown only from the driver's seat foot outlet 3o.
Warm air with an air volume almost equal to the normal minimum air volume "Ln" can be obtained.

In the above embodiment, when there is a passenger in the front passenger seat, the driver's seat and passenger seat foot outlet 30.31 are fully opened to blow air at the normal minimum air volume "Ln". A method of reducing the amount of air blown to make the temperature of the blown air sufficiently warm will be described below.

FIG. 4 shows the driver's seat foot outlet 30 and passenger seat foot outlet 31 of the air conditioner shown in FIG. , furthermore, its opening degree is controlled by a control device (not shown). and,
If heating is performed when there is a passenger in the passenger seat, since the seating switch 42 is off, air will be blown at the lowest air volume as in the above-described embodiment. At this time, the opening degree of the driver's seat foot door 50 and the passenger's seat foot door 51 is 50 as shown in FIG.
c, 51c. As a result, the wind resistance of the driver's seat foot outlet 30 and the passenger's seat foot outlet 31 increases, and the amount of air blown out is suppressed. Therefore, the amount of air blown decreases by this increase in wind resistance, and the amount of air passing through the heater unit 7 decreases. That is, as described above, sufficient warming is performed and hot air is blown.

Note that when the engine cooling water temperature rises and the water temperature switch 43 is turned off, the driver's seat foot door 50 and the passenger's seat foot door 51 are fully opened, and the air volume further increases.

Note that the opening degrees of both foot doors 50 and 51 were set to fixed positions 50c and 51c until the water temperature switch 43 was turned off.
An engine coolant temperature sensor may be provided to control the opening degrees of these doors according to the coolant temperature. That is,
The opening degree of both doors may be increased as the cooling water temperature rises.

In the configuration of the above embodiment, the fan switch 20 serves as an air volume selection switch, the resistors 22 and 23 serve as a speed change means, the passenger foot door 33 serves as a passenger footwell outlet opening/closing means, and the water temperature switch 43 serves as a water temperature checking means. , resistor 40. Relay 41 and actuator 44 each constitute control means.

As described in detail of the G6 invention, according to the present invention, when the front passenger is not present and the engine cooling water temperature is low, the heater unit can sufficiently warm up the passenger by blowing air at an air volume lower than the minimum air volume. Since the footwell outlet for the seat occupant is driven to close, even when the cooling water temperature is low after the engine is started, sufficiently warm air is blown out to provide the desired heating feeling.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a complaint correspondence diagram. Figure 2 is a configuration diagram showing one embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 3 is a configuration diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram showing another embodiment, FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram of a conventional vehicle air conditioner, and FIG. 6 is a conventional vehicle air conditioner. FIG. 3 is a drive circuit diagram of a fan motor of FIG. 4 Nibro fan 4a: Fan motor 7: Heater unit 3o: Driver's seat foot outlet 31: Passenger seat foot outlet β2, 50: Driver's seat foot door 33.51: Passenger seat foot door 40: Resistor 41: Relay 42: Seating switch 43 :Water temperature switch 44:Actuator Patent applicant: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. Representative Patent Attorney Fuyuki Nagai 41:Relay 42:Seating switch 43:Water temperature switch 44:Actuator Fig. 1 Fig. 3 51a 50a

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] A blower fan, a heater unit that warms the air blown by the blower fan using the heat value of engine cooling water temperature, an air volume selection switch that can select at least the minimum air volume of the blower fan, and this air volume selection switch. A vehicle air conditioner comprising: a speed change means for changing the speed of the blower fan based on an air flow rate selected by the air conditioner; seating detection means for detecting that the front passenger seat occupant is seated; water temperature detection means for detecting engine cooling water temperature; and seating of the front passenger seat passenger is not detected by the seating detection means, and the water temperature detection means When it is detected that the engine cooling water temperature is below a predetermined temperature, the speed of the blower fan is increased until the engine cooling water temperature reaches a water temperature that allows the heater unit to sufficiently warm up the minimum air volume selected by the air volume selection switch. An air conditioner for a vehicle, comprising: a control means for reducing the air volume to below the minimum air volume, and further controlling the passenger seat footwell outlet opening/closing means to close the footwell outlet on the passenger side of the front passenger seat.